Jacket "pressing" as defined by at least one dry cleaners

What more did you expect her to do?

Now our esteemed tailors won't have to waste 45 minutes pressing a finished suit...

...they can just send it out to this woman who will press it up in a jiffy for a few bucks.

Wow!

The expandable inserts she puts in the sleeves are curved to follow the curve of the sleeve but if you watch, she puts the thing in the sleeve with the curve of the device going backwards, opposite to the way the sleeve curves.

One time at a clients house I noticed his suits were on nice wood hangers but all the hangers were turned the opposite way with the jackets on them. Instead of the curve of the hanger running forward to the front of the jacket and sleeve it was curving back towards the back of the jacket. he said thats the way his housekeeper hangs them, she couldn't tell the difference.

Time for a new housekeeper

.
Edited by F. Corbera - 11/7/11 at 2:14pm

^That must have been some dry cleaning bill! Stu ain't cheap. I'm glad to hear you think he's worth it, I've been thinking of using him. Luckily (or sadly, I guess), I have far fewer suits than you.

I have three suits that need to be cleaned and pressed and now I'm terrified to send them out lest they come back looking like that poor jacket in the video.

"Make sure the lapels and nice and flat." Dear God!!!

Anyone know of somebody like Stu in Canada?

.
Edited by F. Corbera - 11/7/11 at 2:14pm

This lady's series of You Tube videos proves that anyone -- AND I MEAN ANYONE -- can hang up a sign on an empty storefront and call themselves a "dry cleaner".

There are no state licensing requirements for dry cleaners in the USA.

Nor are there any quality standards put forth by professional dry cleaning associations THAT MUST BE MET in order to qualify for membership.

Nor are there any continuing education requirements for renewing membership on an annual basis.

Truth is, anyone with $500 can join any or both of the two major dry cleaning associations (Dry Cleaning & Laundry Institute and National Cleaners Association), attach their decals to their front door, and hold themselves out to be "professional dry cleaners".

The fact that a dry cleaner is a member of any of these two professional associations means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING -- unless that member is constantly learning, constantly improving their skills and expertise, and constantly raising the bar on every aspect of their craft. Craftsmanship is a lifetime process and does not come from a two week "brain dump" imparted by one's brother-in-law or from the guy from whom you bought the business six months ago. In many cases, it's a matter of the blind leading the blind.

There are 26,000 dry cleaners in the USA, the overwhelming majority of whom are extraordinarily ordinary at best. This lady beautifully defines what I mean by "ordinary cleaners".

One other point: Despos and jefferyd have long advocated the idea that "steam is evil". In other words, steam in the hands of the unknowing and unqualified is dangerous, especially when indiscriminately applied to bespoke and made-to-measure garments. If there was ever a series of videos that reinforces that constant drumbeat, this lady's series of You Tube videos is required viewing.
Edited by stubloom - 11/6/11 at 11:19am

ok then chris,. you beat me to it again.
why are you up so early?

If you're in the DC area, there's Parkway cleaners - they are quite expensive, as is the case when you get quality work, but I think they do good work.

That does look fantastic. Out of curiosity, generally how much does it cost per suit?

As regards that suit jacket pictured above, that suit was inspected, buttons removed, hand cleaned, re-inspected, hand pressed inside and out, re-inspected, buttons replaced, re-inspected, hand pressed again where necessary, re-inspected for the final time, packaged in a flat box (40 x 24 x 4), and then shipped via UPS from Arizona to the East Coast.

That picture was taken by F. Corbera after he removed it from the packaging and after itcs been hanging in his closet.
Edited by stubloom - 11/7/11 at 6:21am